Description
Object description
Collection of photographic prints and postcards, mounted in albums and loose, relating to the thirty-three year British Army service of Major Percival Ernest Johnston, in the Royal Artillery (1933-1956) and Royal Army Pay Corps (1956-1972).
One album relates to Johnston's service as second in command (2IC) of 61 Light Regiment, Royal Artillery, serving with 29 Brigade during the Korean War (January 1952-January 1953), including a spell as temporary commander of 120 Light Battery. Images include views of 120 Battery commander's caravan occupied by him; the 2IC of the battery; Driver Parke from regimental headquarters of 61 Light Regiment; 29 Brigade HQ RA TAC including personalities such as the Brigade Commanding Officer, Lt Col Jack Slade-Powell, the Brigade Major, Paddy Victory, and the new Intelligence Officer Eric Waterhouse; the CO of 14 Field Regiment and the Assistant Counter Battery Officer; scenes at RHQ 61 Light Regiment RA in July 1952; views of 4.2" mortar pits of D and E Troops, 120 Battery; views from PT355 and PT159; 'typical' Korean scenery, peasants, farmers and porters; views of the NAAFI roadhouse at Tokchong cross roads, half-way on the road to Seoul; an informal portrait on Gloucester Hill just south of the 38th Parallel during a quiet period in summer 1952; scenes in Seoul a few days before President-Elect Eisenhower visited the city in November 1952; scenes following a premature firing (their second such occurance) by G Troop of 248 Battery, which killed the Sergeant No 1; a decorated monumental cross marking HM Queen Elizabeth II's coronation year; scenes of a coronation parade by 1st Commonwealth Division involving Major General M Alston-Roberts-West, President of South Korea Sygnman Rhee and Brigadier Kendrew, Brigade Commander of 29th Brigade.
One album relating to Johnston's service as RAPC paymaster attached to 38 Engineer Regiment, Corps of Royal Engineers, and based on Christmas Island during the Operation Grapple nuclear tests (December 1957-December 1958). Images include postcards of aerial and ground views (black and white and colourised) of Christmas Island and particularly elements the camp, the port, and the local village; views of the 'mushroom clouds' following GRAPPLE Y in April 1958 and GRAPPLE Z in December 1958; colour photographs of scenes in the camp on the island including the church, ablution blocks, the sparce and unproductive 'garden' ouside the officer's mess, the OR's canteen and construction works undertaken by 38 Engineer Regiment during the expansion of the camp prior to GRAPPLE Y; black and white photographs of the RAPC section on Christmas Island at work and group portraits; views around the new camp including the officers' mess, officers' tents, sergeant accommodation, personnel at leisure and with locals, Royal Engineers cranes and equipment; the departure of Gp Capt Botting, the base commander; alon g with officers' mess dinners including one held in honour of the Engineer-in-Chief Major General Sugden. Many personnel in the images are named.
A loose leaf with three attached black and white group portraits of Pay staff of 38 Corps Engineer Regiment at: 1) Osnabruck (February 1957), 2) Christmas Island (Dec 1957-May 1958), 3) Christmas Island Dec (May 1958 - December 1958)
Panoramic print, a group portrait of men of 123 OCTU with Percival Ernest Johnston centre.
Physical description
Album One: Grey wood-effect cardboard album with 'Photographs' in gold in lower right corner of cover. Handwritten in blue ballpoint pen "1st HALF - CANADIAN VISIT on return from Tokyo [scored through]" "2nd HALF - KOREA 1952". Small water damage lower right corner of cover. Contains 12 brown paper leaves, bound with biege cord. Fifty nine black and white photographic prints of various sizes mounted on pages with hand-written titles.
Album Two: Light brown leather-effect album with marroon lacing around edge of cover. On front cover a depiction of a bellowing stag and the word "Oberkirchen". Handwritten title in black ballpoint pen "CHRITMAS ISLAND 1958". Contains 18 brown card leaves bound into album by brown cord. Between each leaf is a semi-transparent, spider's web effect leaf, some are loose. Sixty nine photographs and postcards mounted in album by adhesive corners, with six loose. Many of the photographs are annotated ibn blue ballpoint or ink pen, some pages have handwritten titles and annotations.
Yellow foolscap paper leaf with three black and white prints fixed by adhesive. Blue ink annotation on page.